Public Health

• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C.

Although they can share similar symptoms, the way they are transmitted from person to person varies as does their effects on the liver. Other less common kinds of viral hepatitis include E, D and G.
Information about these can be obtained from your general practitioner or one of the services listed below.

• Sharing of injecting equipment - very high risk.
• Tattooing and body piercing using unsterile equipment and dyes - very high risk.
• Occupationally through exposure to infected blood eg needlestick injuries - high risk.

• Unprotected sex - low risk if no blood present (eg menstruation).
• Sharing of intimate equipment eg. toothbrushes, razors, nail files etc. - low risk if no blood present.
• Since 1990 all blood and organ donations are tested for the presence of hepatitis C virus - low risk.
• Breast feeding - no evidence of transmission through breast milk.
• Infected mother to baby during pregnancy and delivery-current evidence suggests low risk of transmission. Other factors influencing the risk of mother to baby transmission are co-infection with HIV or recent hepatitis C infection in the later part of pregnancy.
• Sharing of intranasal equipment used for snorting drugs - low risk if no blood present.

• hugging, kissing, shaking hands
• sharing food, plates, cups and glasses
• using the same shower and toilet facilities
• using the same washing machine.

• washing your hands before and after injecting
• not sharing injecting equipment
• properly sterilising other skin penetration equipment (eg used in tattooing and body piercing) including dyes and dye pot surfaces
• safely disposing of used needles and syringes in a Sharpsafe or other sealable and puncture proof container
• practising protected sex if blood is present
• not sharing intimate equipment that may contain infected blood such as razors, toothbrushes, nail files etc
• always practising infection control if you are a health care practitioner
• using gloves, warm water, detergent, bleach and disposable paper towels to clean up blood spills.
• using gloves to place other potentially infectious material such as dressings and sanitary napkins in an appropriate container such as an empty milk carton or sealable leak-proof bag for safe disposal
• not donating blood, tissues or organs if you are infected
• hepatitis C positive women who are breast feeding should not do so with cracked nipples
• reducing opportunities for transmission by educating others about blood awareness.

• people who have shared injecting equipment
• people who have had other skin penetration procedures such as tattooing, body piercing using unsterile equipment and dyes
• people who have had injections or vaccinations overseas
• people who have shared personal items such as razors and toothbrushes with hepatitis C positive people
• people who have had unprotected sex with sex partners especially where blood is involved
• those who have had blood, blood products or organ and tissue donations before 1991
• workers who have had occupational exposure to blood, eg needlestick injury
• children of hepatitis C positive parents
• partners of hepatitis C positive people.

gastroenterology-(08) 8222-5589

CitiCentre Building
Level 1, 11 Hindmarsh Square
ADELAIDE 5000